POST-9: “The Need To Connect”👪.

Hey y’all! (it's been a long time) it’s me… Arthur. 🙂 You know, Life has been rough (I think we all can agree) Working, School, politics, Business, Bitcoin 🙄…I found myself reflecting (as I often do) and making time, to reflect on accomplishments…

Taking a macro perspective versus micro…I’m thankful that i can be intentional about this…I thought to myself: “Self, This growing up thing is really a Crock.. “ I mean here we are (2021), in an ever-progressing future, rooted both in technology innovation, and the ability to optimize our Lifestyles--100%!..

And yet, Covid has forced us into isolation (for safety reasons). Leaving us few opportunities to go outside and explore our “new world” 🙂😐… The Bible talks about “The need to connect with others” (in so few words), and mentions it several times throughout the text…

Not only just the need / the desire to connect with others, but the importance, connectivity has on us, as a people, to live more whole-lives...I’m paraphrasing here (and ranting as usual), but study it, and you'll see what I mean.

COVID and social distancing hasn't stopped us completely, however. The world is “opening back up”, and we're able to “Breathe-Again”. (A testament to American resolve 🙂👍🏾). We as a people have rallied to find solutions, to bring about connection (via online chats, etc), and hopefully instill Normalcy in a world turned upside-down.

Even if you aren't that much of a “social-butterfly”, I believe we have an innate, need to connect with other human-beings. We all have it…. Even pre- Covid, introverts resorted to people watching, at a distance, just to feel human, in the physical (which isn’t as “creepy” as it may sound, / too far fetched). I think we all do it at times. 🤔

I forget where I heard it first, but an Author once spoke about (in terms of mental-health and psychology) the healing powers one can receive from simply-Being in a social-environment. 🤔

Maybe, not-by directly-participating in the activities of those individuals, but being around other human-beings brings a sense of normalcy to your life. A regularity from within, and I think that’s what we all want, in the end. 🙂

Yep… life has gotten more and more confusing. Faster and quite frustrating at times. 😑. In a previous Blog, I wrote about how “Emojis saved my life” (still true). Now, I’m faced with a different set of dilemmas (Emojis that can accurately reflect my expressions or responses) 😫 🤦🏾‍♂‍🤦🏾‍♂‍😡 (First world problems). 🙂

I can get really deep, or philosophical and I don’t know what to make of it…You study these things for years, and it's like: we’re working backwards!

Perhaps I'm overreacting, or maybe I just miss the 90’s… Either way, there was a time when I was once young and dumb. Ignorant to life’s responsibilities, woes, and bills. 🙄 Courageous (if you will), in the midst of having no bills, or Major-responsibilities.

No house, no car, no complex relationships, etc. I wasn’t perfect (and neither was Life), but ignorance (and freedom) sure were bliss. Oh, and let's not forget about college. My years here, were oftentimes, most doubly challenging (but rich in Knowledge friendships, and experiences—I def wouldn’t take that back).

If it weren’t for college, I wouldn’t have been able to connect with others, as much as I have (so far). I still advocate for University… Besides strengthening your technical-acumen, you get to make friends with people you probably, would have never met before (if you had never gone).

Outside of the social-benefits, college allows you to learn, technical-skills. Communications, strategies, etc that help formulate “Grey-matter-concepts” into something more Enriching. Your Ideas become more precise. You can better quantify your thoughts and ideas, and so on….. History does repeat itself, but it also gets better. Connection allows that.

Challenges still arise, and that sucks, but so is Life!.. I've spent so many hours… Many, long-hours pursuing my degrees.

And Chasing my dreams. Thankfully, I had parents who got an Education, paved the way, and were able to give me a Better shot at Life, bc of it. And By no stretch of the imagination was it easy. We weren't rich, but we did alright. I enjoyed the simple things, and of course, the 90’s 😊.

Before smart phones, connection was Everything!.. And still, nothing has changed. I believe now, the need for that “traditional-style” of connection is even more important. Human connection is Life. Nature is Life. We must preserve these things, at all costs.

It’s a Form of Therapy. 🌲🌳🌿🌱🧘🏾‍♂️

I’m thankful I can be happy.

Intentionally, appreciate my process, and be successful in my own choosing.

Although, I want more meaningful relationships, I love the fact that I have friends who (whether or not they went to, or finished college) are exciting and amazing-individuals.

The struggle is real. And maybe at 36 I don’t fully understand certain things, I might appreciate later in Life.

Im simply lamenting on the need to be outside. As a man, and as a leader I have to stay positive. I have to stay optimistic because the best IS yet to come...And who’s to say? I made it through a lot of other trials and tribulations, and came out much better from it. School-Life, Trauma Experiences, struggles, you name it…

I never thought I’d see the light of day, but I did… So, excuse me if I’m wasting your time, but it is important to connect. I don’t think with all the calamity that surrounds us, in this day and age, that its the end of the world…No.

Even if we were to fancy the ideas of: “ technology works against us”.. Or “the Internet is the devil” 🙄

There are a lot of positive things that come from it, like, connection.

If you really take time, stop and reflect, and look back at history…yeah we got lots to complain about. But we got lots to be thankful for as well. My parents. Great, great, great-grandparents had things so much harder. I don’t want to invalidate my feelings or yours, but in this day and age, we’re all trying to make it through.

Perhaps, we should look at connection in a different light... perhaps, it’s not just about simply -connecting. Perhaps, it’s about enriching the connections that are made.

Perhaps smart phones, and the World Wide Web can work on our behalf (for the better) Some people say that it has actually caused a “Great divide” bw us…That, being on our phones, and sitting in front of the TV all day has caused us to be even more of a couch potato (a lot of truth there).

I'm old fashioned, I can do my own research, but I Also like to consult with others to see their thoughts on things, and make sense of this strange, new existence that we All are Living in. 🤷🏾‍♂️ Sometimes….. it's just good to Hear someone else's thoughts on the matter.

People go through their Own, Unique-struggles….And connection helps with relatability…Relatability, yields peace..and hopefully understanding.

As always, My hope, is that you get some kind of Amusement out of this (😐 because I don’t know…people think I’m funny) but more importantly, i hope it helps you to connect with Your feelings better, by seeing similarities, in mine.

May your life be richer (not just financially, but Rich in love, Rich in Quality, Rich in depth, peace, and harmony)…

Try to Make your interactions more Enriching, When you connect. (Even if theyre in short, time-frames).

But yeah,..Rant over. 🙂

Have a good-night! #PerseveranceAndGrowth ❤️🙏